Automatic liquid controlling valves



Sept. 30, 1958f J. M.". YOUNG ETAL 2,854,024

AUTOMATIC LI QUID CONTROLLING VALVES Filed Feb. 6, 1956 .5 4 E? F n4 4 m r 2 wmk 1V 4 .40. Z: u i u QjMCYbLLIL United States. Patent O AUTOMATIC LIQUID CONTROLLING VALVES John Michael Crispin Young, Moseley, and Harry Simister Bottoms, Acocltsv Green, England, assignors to {osgph Lucas (Industries) Limited, Birmingham, Eng- Application February 6, 1956, Serial No. 563,799

Claims priority, application Great Britain February 11, 1955 4 Claims. (Cl. 137-489) This invention has for its object to provide in a convement form a hquid controlling valve adapted to be moved to its open position automatically by a predeof actuating liquid contained therein, a piston containedin the said chamber and adapted to control a port or ports through which the liquid can flow from the inlet to an outlet, a lever carrying a closure member for controlling the discharge end of the vent passage, 21 plunger of smaller diameter than the piston and slidable-in a corresponding bore in the body part, the plunger being connected. to the said lever, and a spring acting directly or indirectly on both the piston and plunger.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l i s a sectional side elevation illustrating one embodiment of the inven-- tion, and Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 illustrating an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a hollow body part or structure a has formed therein an axially extending cylindrical chamber or cavity b, which is closed at one end and is open at the other end through a transverse bore constituting a lateral inlet 0. From the closed end of the chamber extends a vent passage d, the discharge end of which is normally closed by a closure member e carried by a lever f, the latter being contained in a sub-chamber g at one end of the body part separated by a web from the main chamber.

The chamber b is provided with a liner sleeve h extending axially of the chamber from the inlet toward the opposite end of the chamber a distance sufficient to extend across another transverse bore axially spaced from the inlet and constituting an outlet k. In the liner are formed ports i establishing communication between the interior of the chamber and the outlet, and in the liner is contained a hollow piston valve 1', the skirt of which is adapted to control the ports in the liner, so that by its movement it can progressively vary the rate of flow of liquid from the inlet c to the lateral outlet k in the body part. The two ends of the chamber b are in communication with each other through a restricted orifice m. This may be formed in the piston, or it may be arranged (as shown) in between the vent passage d and the region of the chamber b which is open to the inlet 0.

Coaxially with the chamber b and through the web at the end of the body part adjacent to the inlet is formed an axially extending bore through which extends a plunger n of smaller diameter than the piston, a seal or gland 0 being provided to prevent leakage of liquid past the plunger. One end of the plunger extends into the sub-chamber and is attached to the above mentioned lever f and constitutes force transmitting means for moving the lever and thus the closure member. The other end is connected to the piston by a spring p.

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The arrangement is such that when the piston is in its closed position (which position may be determined by any conveniently arranged annular stop q) the piston is held in this position and the closure member of the vent passage is held closed by the spring p. When the pressure of the liquid to be controlled attains a predetermined amount, its action on the plunger n causes the latter to move the lever in the direction for opening the 0 vent passage d. Liquid can then pass from the closed end of the chamber b to a drain connected to the subchamber g which latter may be provided with a nonreturn discharge valve r. The pressure of the liquid can now move the piston in the direction for progressively opening the associated ports i and so allow free flow from the inlet 0, to the outlet k, the extent of opening being dependent on the pressure.

A valve as above described is applicable to a variety of uses, but it is required primarily forcontrolling the supply of liquid fuel from a pump to the combustion chamber of a jet-propulsion engine or gas turbine, which is provided with a main burner and a supplementary" to pass into the main burner by way of a pipe 1;. This movement of the piston increases the effect of the spring p on the plunger n, and the latter is thereby caused to move the closure member e towards its closed position for progressively reducing liquid flow through the discharge end of the vent passage d until the piston attains a position of equilibrium in which the forces acting on its opposite sides are equal. Should the closure member or valve e close before the piston has uncovered the lowest port i, a rise in pressure in the chamber b would move plunger n in a direction to reopen closure member or valve e before pressure equalization would occur on opposite sides of the piston due to the time delay in pressure build-up in the chamber above piston 1 caused by the restricted passage or orifice m. The same considerations 'would apply if the liquid was introduced into the chamber above the piston j and thus into the vent passage d through a separate inlet, having a restricted orifice y therein and with the orifice m eliminated.

The modified construction shown in Figure 2 is essentially similar to that shown in Figure 1, but differs in the following particulars: The vent-valve lever f is contained in the chamber b and is fulcrurned on a seal v in a partition wall between the chamber b and the subchamber g. One end of the lever is connected to the plunger n by a link w, and the spring p is connected to the lever.

In an alternative construction the liquid for actuating the valve 1' is supplied from a separate source through an inlet x containing a restricted orifice y as shown by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2. In this case the restricted orifice m communicating with the inlet 0 is not provided. Otherwise the action is the same as that of the examples shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic liquid controlling valve comprising in combination a hollow body part having therein a cylindrical chamber and a bore at one end of the chamber, a liquid inlet communicating with the said end of the chamber for conducting thereto liquid under pressure, said body part having therein a vent passage communicating with the end of the chamber opposite the bore, means for rendering a restricted supply of liquid under pressure accessible to, the last mentioned end of the chamber, said body part also having therein a conduit establishing a liquid outlet communicating with the chamber between the inlet and the end of the chamber opposite: the bore, at least one port for establishing communication between the outlet andthe chamber, a, piston slidable in the chamber, in response, to pressure of liquid from the inlet for controlling liquidfiow throughtthe'port from the inlet to the outlet; a closure member at the end of the vent passage remote from the chamber, a plunger of smaller diameter than the: piston, slidable in the said bore in the bodypart'in response to pressure of liquidfrom the inlet,a movablemeans carrying the closure member and connected to: the plunger, and; a spring acting on both the piston and plunger to oppose movement thereof by the pressure, of liquid from. the inlet until. a predetermined pressure buildup in the chamber causes the plunger to move so as to move the mov-.

a main chamber and a subsidiary chamber, said webhaving an axially extending bore therethrough in communication between the main chamber and subsidiary chamber, said body structure further having a transverse bore in communication with the main chamber and con: stituting an inlet for liquid under pressure, said body structure further having another transverse bore communicating with the main chamber at a location axially spaced from said first mentioned transverse bore and constituting an outlet for liquid, a sleeve member within the main chamber extending axially thereof from the inlet toward the oppositexend of the chamber a distance at least sufiicientto extend across the outlet, said sleeve member having at least one port therethrough to-establish communication between the interior of the main chamber and the outlet, a piston valve slidably mounted within the sleeve member and adapted to control liquid flow through said port, said valve body structure further having therein a vent passage in-communication at one end with the main chamber on the side of the piston valve opposite the inlet and at its other end with the subsidiary chamben, so that this chamber constitutes a drain chamber, conduit means operatively associated with the body structure and including a restricted orifice for introducing a restricted flow supply of liquid under pressure into the end of the main chamber remote from the inlet and into the vent passage, a movable closure member for controlling flow or liquid from the vent passage to the subsidiary; chamber, a plunger means of a diameter less than that of the piston valve and slidably cooperating with the-plunger-meansto prevent leakage of liquid past the plunger, means interconnecting the closure member and plunger whereby movement of the plunger i.u; a direction toward the subsidiary chamber moves the closure member in a direction to open the vent passage and-movement of the plunger in the opposite direction moves the closure member in a vent passage closing direction; ,anduspringa means, interconnecting the piston valve and the plunger and normally biasing the piston valve to a; position. to close said port and the plunger to a; position tomove the closure member to close the vent passageysaidispring means opposing movement of both the piston valve and'plunger occasioned by fiow'of liquid into the main chamber from the inlet until a predetermined liquid pressure build up has occurred in the mainchamber which causes the plunger to move-toward the subsidiary chamber to thereby move the closure member to a position to open the vent passage to ventliquid from thepart of the main chamber on the side of. the piston opposite the plunger to allow the piston tomove; ,inrazportr opening direction.

3. vIn; avalvestructure as claimed in claim 2 and the meansinterconnecting. the closure member and plunger comprising atlever means carrying: the closure member anda force, transmitting means. connected between the levergmeans and plunger;

4. In a valve structure :BSL-CIQlmEdLiII claim 3 and said lever means beingdisposedwithin said subsidiary chamber,

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 231,214 Curtis Aug. 17, 1880 969,519 Brown Sept. 6, 1910 2,007,554 Westerberg July 9, 1935 2,304,327 Wiegers Dec. 8, 19.42 

